Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee WI

[mtallit]

Was visiting Milwaukee from Chicago this past weekend and saw my first sign restricting firearms at Lakefront Brewery, 414-372-8800, 1872 N. Commerce Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212, Lakefront Brewery - Taste Milwaukee's Heritage, Since 1987

Lakefront Brewery hosts a brewery tour and sells beer, but more importantly, they distribute throughout WI and 22 other states, I believe.

I have a FL license so I was not carrying, but I was P.O.'d to see it and was considering telling my wife that we can't go in there. However, she had been looking forward to it and we'd already made the hike from the hotel. Miserable excuse, I know... but most married men will understand about keeping their wife happy.

I hope you will follow me in calling (or writing, if you prefer) regarding their policy. I will ask for the manager or the person responsible for the "no firearms" policy, and ask them why they've made that decision. I will also be letting them know that not only will I not attend their brewery tour again but I will also not purchase their beer at any of the taverns or stores they distribute to nationally.

Wisconsin law allows carrying in taverns as long as you do not drink alcohol. See excerpt below:

A licensee or out of state licensee may carry a concealed weapon in a tavern only if they are not consuming alcohol on the premises. Wis. Stat. § 941.237(3)(cx).

[WB9IIE]

I can understand a distributor of alcoholic beverages not permitting firearms on their property. Look at the violent history of the alcohol industry during the Prohibition era and all the mob activity generated around alcohol during that time. If it was a mom& pop store, I could see your situation about boycot of the establishment, but distribution center with interstate commerce has other concerns. Also, the business is a private person, and has the right to limit possession of firearms on the property.

[agrippakc]

Not all gun buster signs are the owners perogative. Insurance or legal considerations are sometimes at fault. Might be some weird state law.

[NavyLCDR]

I've been told that alcohol and guns don't mix.

[porktaco]

The original poster is upset because a brewery in Milwaukee has a no firearms sign on the door. The reason this is really funny, is that he came from Illinois- where, unless you are law enforcement, you can't carry anywhere. Wisconsin actually lets ccw carriers carry in taverns if they are not consuming alcohol. HaHaHa!!!

[porktaco]

Also- as far as I can tell... A FL permit is not honored in WI anyway, much less IL. It looks like you might have to write the WI government instead of the brewery-

[mtallit]

The original poster is upset because a brewery in Milwaukee has a no firearms sign on the door. The reason this is really funny, is that he came from Illinois- where, unless you are law enforcement, you can't carry anywhere. Wisconsin actually lets ccw carriers carry in taverns if they are not consuming alcohol. HaHaHa!!!

First of all, you obviously don't belong on this website if you think it’s funny that citizens can’t carry in Illinois. I’m pretty sure you are called a “Troll”.

Second, I travel very often and carry in almost every state I go regardless if I fly or drive. It’s criminal that I can’t carry in my own state, and I’m active in trying to change that. I’m also disappointed that the FL permit is not accepted in WI, but I’ve heard rumors that could change soon.

Third, the WI law, irrelevant of the law in my own pitiful state, is clear that you can CCW in bars if you do not drink. When an establishment takes it upon themselves to ban firearms and, per the law, voluntarily opens themselves up to additional financial liability should an incident occur at their place of business, clearly shows that establishment is anti-gun.

Lakefront just started distributing in Chicago bars again and none of my friends are purchasing that beer. I hope others from this site in all the states they distribute follow suit, so when Lakefront reviews their monthly numbers they say, “what the f… Maybe it’s our firearms policy that guy that kept calling us about, who we recommended he speak with our head manager and promised he’d call back, but never did, is causing this.”

I will be calling back for the 3rd time.

[mtallit]

I've been told that alcohol and guns don't mix.

They mix just fine when I LEGALLY carry in an Indiana bar and LEGALLY enjoy a beverage or two with my dinner. As you well know, it’s a responsibility just to carry a gun. You have to be responsible all the time or lose that benefit. You’re just spreading the trash anti-gunners spread.

[mtallit]

I can understand a distributor of alcoholic beverages not permitting firearms on their property. Look at the violent history of the alcohol industry during the Prohibition era and all the mob activity generated around alcohol during that time. If it was a mom& pop store, I could see your situation about boycot of the establishment, but distribution center with interstate commerce has other concerns. Also, the business is a private person, and has the right to limit possession of firearms on the property.

I’ve tried calling them twice to determine if it has something to do with their distribution, even though my common sense tells me that’s unlikely. But they have not returned my calls despite me personally speaking with employees. The law, as I said in my original post, allows license holders to carry in bars as long as they don’t drink.

The place in front is clearly a bar. And it was quite happening the evening I was there. Not everyone there was there for the brewery tour in back. They were there to drink in a bar.

Also, it’s ridiculous to compare a situation this situation of nonviolent, sober patrons in bars to Prohibition era outlaws who caused widespread violence to control and dominate their illicit trade. The outlaws were obviously pre-disposed to crime and got their opportunity in an illicit alcohol trade when prohibition took effect, much like the drug trade today.

YES, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO NOT ALLOW GUNS IN THEIR PLACE. AND WE, ALL OF US WHO BELIEVE IN SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS, HAVE A RIGHT… NO, A DUTY… TO BOYCOTT ANY BUSINESS WHO VOLUNTARILY BANS GUNS!!!!

[porktaco]

I think it is great that you stand behind your convictions. As for calling someone a troll... I just hope you are not a teenager, as that is now the "cool" thing to do on these forums- who can call who a troll first? I just found it funny that you legally CAN NOT CARRY in WI in the first place, but you were upset that an establishment in a state where you CAN NOT carry anyway will not let you carry on their premises. I feel the same way as you do about businesses that ban guns in their establishments, if it impacts my everyday life in my town. I will switch my bank account, shop at another grocery store etc, if I see a no firearms sign. I however, will not upset my wife nor my vacation "making a point" in a state where I am not legally able to carry in the first place. You won't see me come to IL bitching and complaining about firearm laws that don't concern me... But then again, you probably won't see me come to IL period.